Reva Gray was one of the last great cowgirls. Born in 1904 and raised in the Durango, Colorado area, she became an excellent horsewoman at an early age. She began competing in local rodeos while still a teenager, encouraged by her father
and mother, Sig and Bertha Cordell. When news of Reva's horsemanship ability spread throughout the rodeo world, she was asked to ride for various rodeo producers.

In 1931, Reva married Cy Gray, also from Durangd; and cousin to well-known trick rider Bonnie Gray. With this exposure to trick riding and other exhibition acts in rodeo, she quickly became multitalented. She and Cy both began to compete with trick riding as well as with their racing events traveling to well known race tracks and rodeos. In 1933, while racing her father's string of horses, Reva gave the opening day crowd a thrill it will never forget- that of winning the first of five races of the Denver Post Cowgirl Relay Race. Reva was crowned Champion Cowgirl Relay Racer of Cheyenne Frontier Days. She competed again in 1934 and 1936 and won both years. She changed horses so quickly that it seemed to spectators that she had barely stopped when she was at the first turn on a new mount. During a 1938 heat, a newspaper reporter described the race: Reva "riding high on her mount's neck, pleading, begging for that last burst of speed, crossed the finish line." In 1935, the Los Angeles Times mentioned Reva's successes at Cheyenne and Pendleton, with the description, "said to be the most famous cowgirl in the world."

In 1938, Reva rode in a flat race at Cheyenne Frontier Days on July 30. During the race, her horse was bumped by fellow cowgirl Gladys Pattinson's horse during a turn. The horses tripped, throwing the women and then falling on them, severely injuring them both. Before the flat race, Reva rode in four of the five heats for the Denver Post Relay Race, and her total points in these heats allowed her to place second overall. However, the injuries she received were so extensive that she was unable to recover, despite Cheyenne Frontier Days physicians' and surgeons' best efforts. Her body was transported back to Durango, Colorado for burial.